Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz Sunday decided to demolish the homes of the murderers of the Fogel family, subject to legal approval, Army Radio reported Sunday morning.

The move to destroy the homes of Hakim and Ajmad Awad - who murdered five members of the Fogel family in Itamar last year - was recommended by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency).

In the coming weeks the Knesset legal advisor's office will discuss the subject. The recommendation comes despite the decision made in 2005 to cease the policy of demolishing houses by way of retribution.

"This is one of the most brutal terrorist attacks ever, and the Shin bet thinks that demolition is a punitive step that may deter other terrorists from carrying out such tragic crimes," Army Radio quoted Former head of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) Yaakov Perry as saying. The Shin Bet said that along with the deterrent effect, several of the killers' relatives helped after the attack by concealing the weapons and destroying evidence.